Automobile direction signal



May 23. 1933.

M. MICHARICH AUTOMOBILE DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed Oct. 11, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 23, 3- M. MICHARICH AUTOMOBILE DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed OCt. 11, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F507 524x15 Panel- Qwmmtoz a, M J WW5 sciously Patented May 23, 1933 PATENT OFFICE HICHAEL KICHABICH, OF BRIDGEPOBT, CONNECTICUT AUTOMOBILE DIRECTION SIGNAL Application fled October 11, 1928. Serial No. 888,028.

This invention relates to a direction signal mechanism for .a vehicle such as an automobile, and has for an object to provide a mechanism which will operate a signal both at the 6 front and the rear of the vehicle to indicate the direction the vehicle is about to turn automatically through the usual operation of the brake, pedal and steering mechanism without the necessity of the driver having to con operate any additional mechanism. It is a urther object of this invention to provide a switch and signal mechanism which may be used in connection with a sto indicating signal such as is often supp ied as standard equipment on automobiles, or which may be so connected in the absence of such signal to cause the rear direction si als to operate as a sto signal when the bra e pedal is depressed an to operate as a direction si nal after the brake pedal is released until t e steering mechanism is straightened out.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention comprises certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of arts as hereinafter set forth, discloud and claimed as considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a dia ammatic view of the switch mechanism and its operatin details connected up to include the stop in icator.

Flg. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a somewhat larger diagrammatical view of the switch mechanism connected or wired so as to use the rear direction signals as a stop signal, and

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

There is shown at the front axle of a motor vehicle on which is the front wheel 11 whose direction is controlled from the steering wheel 12 throu h the usual steerin mechanism including t e tie rod 13. A ed to the vehicle at any convenient place is the switch mechanism assembly box 14 havin .a flange 15 through the openings 16 of which the aflixing means ma be secured.

Afiixed to the tie r 18 is a connecting rod 17 towhose other end is pivotally aflixed a slidable bar 18 which passes completel throu h openings in the opposite sides 19 an 20 of ox 14 and has a toothed orrack portion 21, while the brake pedal 22 has aspring 23 connecting thereto a bar 24 which passes through an o nin in side 19, theother end of bar 24 being pivoted at 25 to a base or block 26 aflixed in box '14 as by screw 27 and it is through the actuation of slide bar 18 and pivoted bar 24 by the normal operation of the vehicle that the pro r direction signals are automatically switc ed on and off at the appropriate times.

The spring 23 may be connected to the brake pedal 22 by any suitable means such as a bar 22a.

Ailised to the front of the vehicle so as to be visible to Oncoming-traflic and to traffic policemen is a double signal lamp 28 having 7 an arrow 29 pointing to the left and another arrow 30 pointing to the right, and an electric hght ulb 29 and 30' is placed behind each arrow respectively and separated by a partition 31 so that each bulb will light up only its particular direction arrow. For greater emphasis, these arrows may comprise colored glass, the arrow 29 to the left being red and the arrow to the right bein green.

A similar lamp 32 having a similar eft arscrews 38in box 14 at the opposite end to the end where slide bar 18 passes through the sides, block 36 being on theleft of the center line and block 37 on the right of the center line, and each block has aflixed thereto a pair of stationary contact members, which are ste shaped as shown, the blocks 36 and 87 having been step-shaped to conform to the shape of the contacts, contacts 39 and 40 being located on left block 36 and contacts 41 I and 42 being located on the right block 37 The contacts .on left block 36 are for operating the left arrows 29 and 33, while those on the right block 37 are for operating the right arrows 30 and 34, as will be later described. 1

pair of blocks 86 and 37 are aflixed by Another block 43 aflixed to box 14 has a pair of contacts 44 and 45 against which a pair of movablespring arm contacts 46 and 47 are to be pressed b an arm 48 aflixed on bar 24. As will be 0 vious, the depression of the brake pedal 22 will move bar 24 to bring these contacts together, and these contacts are to be wired or connected so as to either operate the stop signal 35 or to operate the arrows 33 and 34 to act as a stop signal, as will be later described. 7

A circuit closing contact member 50 adapted to contact with the contact members carried by either blocks 36 or 37 when the brake pedal 22 is depressedand the steerin wheel 12 is turned, is composed of the fo lowin elements. A lever 51 is pivoted at '52 to a fixed support, here shown as block 26, and its other end has a pivotal connection 53 to a lever 54 which has a tooth or arrowhead 55 integral therewith. .The end of lever 51 at the ivotal connection 53 also serves as a bearing for the pivoted bar 24 so that movement of bar 24 as a result of the de ression of brake pedal 22 will serve to move t e tooth 55 to the position 55 in contact with the toothed portion 21 of bar 18 and then s ring 23 will yieldably hold it in contact whi e the brake pedal 22 1s further depressed. As will be ObVlOllS, when the tooth 55 is in position 55' in engagement with teeth 21, any sliding movement of bar 18 will cause lever 54 to pivot about its pivotal connection 53 as a fulcrum. The end 56 of lever 54has 'eldable means aflixed thereto tending to ho d it in the central position midway between thecontact blocks 36 and 37, said yieldable means comprising a pair of springs 57 aflixedthereto at 58 and to the box 14 at 59. Another lever 60 is pivoted to lever 54 in alignment therewith at 61 while the end 62 of lever 60 has a yieldable means comprising al spring 63 aflixed thereto and to box 14 tending to hold lever in the position shown in Fig. 4 with the point 55 out of engagement with rack 21, while a pair of stop members 64 prevent member 60 from being swung beyond position. 60. A circuit closing member 65 is pivoted in alignment with levers 54 and 60 to lever 60 at 66,

and has a post 67 aflixed near its other end.

which has a spring 68 aflixed to the end of lever 54 at 69. This circuit closing member 65 has a contact 70 aflixed to its end, and a lead wire 71 connects contact 70 to a binding post 72. I

In operation, when the brake pedal 22 is depressed, bar 24 will swing about pivot 25 to press the contacts carried b arm 48 against the contacts carried by bloc 43 which will operate a stop light means at the rear of the vehicle, and at the same time, bar 24 will bear against the end of lever 51-and its pivotal connection 53 to press tooth 55 to the position 55' in mesh with teeth 21. The turning of steering wheel 12 will then have the efi'ect of sliding bar 18 either to the right or to the left, according to which direction it is turned. This will have the eifect of correspondingly swinging the compound switch member 50 about the fulcrum formed by the pivotal connection 53 to bring the contact member 70 into contact with the stationary contacts carried on either block 36 or 37. If turning to the left, contact 70 will be moved to the position 70', and be held against further movement against the side 73 in the step in the block as shown. Spring 68 will yield to allow lever 54 to pivot further to position 54' as the steering wheel 12 is further turned. At the same time g spring 63 will yield to allow the end of contact 70 to ride up on the bottom 74 of the step, and then the force of spring 63 will have one component tending to draw it down against the bottom 74 and another component tending to draw it at right angles away from the side 73. This latter component, however, is counterbalanced as long as lever 54 is in position 54' b an opposite component from spring 68 ten ing to hold it agalnst the side 73 of the step and also by friction of contact 70 on the stepped contact. After contact 70 has ridden up on the bottom 74 of the step, the tooth 55 will be held in mesh with teeth 21 without further assistance from bar 24, and will remain so after bar 24 returns to its full line position when the brake 22 is released. Then when the steering wheel 12 is straightened to bring bar 18 back to its original position, lever 54 will be returned from position 54' to the original aligned position. This will destroy the counterbalancing component of spring 68, which now will become a component tending to aid sprin 63 in movin the contact 70 away from si e 73, which wi 1 be greater than the component of spring 63 holding contact 70 against bottom 74, thus returning contact 70 to its original disengaged or open circuit position and allowing tooth 55 to disengage from teeth 21.

When the vehicle is'equipped with a stop signal, the device may be wired or connected as shown in Fig. 1.

The current is supplied from the vehicle battery 73' whose negative side is grounded to the vehicle as at 74. The battery 73 is connected by wire 75 to binding post 72. From the binding post 72, one wire 71 leads to contact 70 as described above and another wire 76 leads to the contacts 46 and 47 for the stop mechanism. Contact 47, when the brake pedal is depressed, closes a circuit through contact 45 and wire 77 to the stop signal 35 which is grounded at 78. Contact 39 on the left block 36 is connected by wire 79 to binding post 80 and thence by wire 81 to a common wire 82 leading to left arrows 29 and 33 which are grounded as shown. Similarly, contact 41 on the right block 37 has a wire 83 leading to binding post 84 and thence by wire 85 to a common wire 86 leading to right arrows 30 and 34, likewise grounded as shown. When wired as thus described, depression of the brake pedal 22 will light signal 35 and hold it lighted as long as the brake is held depressed, allowing it to 0 out when the brake is released. If the ve icle be approaching a corner which the o erator is about to turn, be will first natura ly alwa s depress the brake pedal 22 to slow up t e vehicle sufliciently, and then will turn wheel 12 to turn the corner before the brake pedal is released. This will have the effect of operating switch member 50 in a corresponding direction to move contact into circuit closingl position with contact 39 or 41, to thus Iig t the corresponding arrows at the front and rear of the vehicle.

When the vehicle is not equipped with a stop signal, the device may be wired or connected as in Fig. 4. When the brake pedal 22 is depressed, the current from battery 73' will pass through wire 76 to contacts 46 and 47. Contact 44 is connected by wire 87 to binding post 84 and thence by wire 88 to right arrow 34 while contact 45 is connected by wire 89 to binding post and thence by wire 90 to left arrow 33. In this case, when the brake pedal 22 is depressed, both right and left arrows 33 and 34 at the rear of the car will be lighted together, thus serving as a stop light. Contact 39 will be connected by wire 91 to wire 89 to also connect to the rear left arrow 33 while contact 40 will be connected by wire 92 to binding post 93 and thence by wire 94 to left arrow 29 at the front of the vehicle. Contact 42 on the right block 37 will be connected b wire 95 to wire 87 leading to the rear rig t arrow 34, while contact 41 will be connected by wire 96 leading to binding post 97 and thence by wire 98 to the front ri ht arrow 30. When wired as thus describe and shown in Fig. 4, depression of the brake pedal 22 will close the circuits through contacts 45 and 47, and 44 and 46 to light both rear left and ri ht arrows 33 and 34, which when unders will thus indicate to the following traflic that the brake pedal is being held down, and thus serve as a stop light. If the driver then turns the steering wheel 12 for a left turn, switch member 50 will be shifted to move contact 70 into circuit closing position with both contacts 39 and 40 on left block 36. This will close the circuit-to both front andrear left arrows 29 and 33, thus indicating to oncoming traflic, or to the traflic policeman at that corner that a left turn is about to be made. Inasmuch as both rear arrows 33 and 34 are lighted by contacts 44, 46 and 45, 47 as a result of the brake edal being depressed, as the brake is released: the circult through contacts 45 and 47 and 44 and 46 will be opened. However, as the circuit between 39 and 70 is bein held closed, left arrow 33 will remain lighted and right arrow 34 will go out, thus indicating to following traflic also that a left turn is about to be made.

It will be obvious that the switch assembly box 14 and the switches therein may be identical as shown when used according to either system above disclosed, although in one system, that of Fig. 1, no use is made of certain parts, particularly contacts 40, 42, 44 and 46 or binding posts 93 and 97, but in manufacturing the device, these elements will be included so that the device may be used as desired according to either system.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention what I claim is:

1. In a vehicle direction indicator of the character described, indicator means visible from the front of the vehicle, indicator. means visible from the rear of the vehicle, means for actuating said indicator means, a direction switch member included in said actuating means, said actuating means bein operab e by the brake pedal to operate t e rear indicator means to show that the brake pedal is being depressed and to simultaneously mechanically connect said direction switch member with the vehicle steering mechanism for operation thereb to actuate the front indicator means to show the direction that the steering mechanism is turned, and to actuate the rear indicator means to show the direction that the steering mechanism is turned, said direction switch member continuing to actuate the rear indicator means after the brake pedal is released.

2. In a vehicle direction signal of the character described, a switch mechanism, means in said mechanism connected with the steering mechanism, a compound switch mem her having means actuated b depression of a control pedal of the vehic e to move said switch member into mechanical connection with said steering mechanism means whereby the switch member is actuated by the steering mechanism means, stationary electrical contact members on each side of said switch member, a movable contact on said switch member ada ted, when the switch member is actuated as t e steerin mechanism is turned, to close a direction indicating circuit through one of the said stationary contact members, and means to cooperate with said contact members to cause them to remain closed until the steering mechanism is straightened.

3. In a vehicle direction indicating device, a compound switch mechanism including a slidable rack bar connected to a steering mechanism and a pivoted actuating bar connected to a brake lever, a pair of stepped stationary contact members and a compound pivoted contact member adapted to close a circuit throu h either of said stepped contact members, sai compound member comprising a lever pivoted at one end to a fixed support,

a toothed lever to which the other end of said pivoted lever is also pivotally connected, said pivotal connection also serving as a bearing against which the actuating bar may operate to move the toothed lever into mesh with the rack bar, said toothed lever having yieldable means tending to return it to non-meshing position, a circuit closing contact member pivoted to said toothed member, yieldable means tending to 'align said circuit closing member with said toothed member, and yieldable means tending to hold said circuit closing contact member in open circuit position.

4. In a vehicle direct-ion indicating device, a compound switch mechanism including a slidable rack bar connected to a steering mechanism and a pivoted actuating bar connected to a brake lever, a pair of stepped stationary contact members and a compound pivoted contact member adapted to close a circuit through either of said step d contact members, said compound memgr comprising a lever pivotedat one end to a fixed support, a toothed lever to which the other end of said pivoted lever is also pivotally connected, said pivotal connection also ser ing as a bearing against which the actuating bar may operate to move the toothed lever into mesh with the rack bar, means tending to return it to non-meshing position, a circuit closing contact member pivoted to said toothed member, yieldable means tending to align said circuit closing member with said toothed member, and yieldable means tending to hold said circuit closi'ng contact member in open circuit position, said last yieldable means including a lever pivoted to said toothed member and to said circuit closing member.

5. In a direction signal for motor vehicles, a plurality of direction indicators, means mounting a lever for both swinging and longitudinal movements, a pair of circuits one for each indicator clowd and opened by the swinging movements of said lever, a movable operating member connected to the steering mechanism for movement in opposite directions thereby, coo rative operating means on the lever and sai movable member normally out of engagement, and means connected to the brake lever capable of shifting said lever on depression of the brake lever to bring said cooperative means into operative relation so that operation of the steering mechanism will swing the lever to close one of said circuits.

6. In a direction signal for motor vehicles, a plurality of direction indicators, means mounting a lever for both swinging and longitudinal movements, an operating means for each indicator controlled by swinging movements of said lever, a notched member movable transversely of said lever, means for connecting said member with the steering mechanism, operative means on the lever capable of engaging said notched member for operation cuits one for each said toothed lever having yieldable thereby, means for normally holding said operative means'out of engagement with said notched member, and means connected to the brake pedal to shift said lever into engagement with the notched member for operation thereby.

7 In a direction signal for motor vehicles including a control lever, a plurality of direction indicators, a second ,lever, means for operating said latter lever for both swinging and longitudinal movements, a pair of cirindicator closed and opened by the swin ing movements of said second lever, a mova le operating member connected with the steering mechanism for movement in opposite directions thereby, cooperative operating means on the second lever and said movable member normallv out of engagement, and means connecte with said control lever capable of shifting the second mentioned lever on operation of the control lever to bring said operative means into operative relation so that operation of the steering mechanism will swin the second lever to close one of said circuits.

8. In a direction signal for motor vehicles having a control lever, a plurality of direction indicators, a second lever, means mounting said latter lever for both swinging and longitudinal movements, an operating means for each indicator controlled by swinging movements of said second lever, a notched member movable transversely of said second lever, means for connecting said member with the steering mechanism, operative means on the second lever capable of engagingsaid notched member for operation thereby, means for normally holding said operative means out of engagement with said notched member, and means connected with the control lever to shift said second lever into engagement with the notched member for operation thereby.

In testimon whereof I aflix my si ature.

IICHAEL MICHA ICH. 

